Scholar Spotlight

Cassie Gianni: Summer Abroad in Colombia

Cassie Gianni, a 2010 Tier One Scholar, has difficulty
remembering a time when she was not fascinated with going abroad. “I think the
thought entered my mind in the third or fourth grade,” she says, musing
laughingly, “I went to a really diverse elementary school and was randomly put
into the international students’ class.” This unexpected, early exposure to
different cultures and peoples sparked an interest in international outreach
that drives her focus at the University of Houston.

It will come as no surprise then that the summer after her
freshman year, Cassie, an economics major and Honors College member, chose to go abroad. With a wealth of
programs to choose from though, deciding on a perfect experience proved
challenging. But, as seems to be a pattern with Cassie, she serendipitously
found herself at an informational session for an organization called AIESEC, “I
was walking down the hall and I heard people talking from one of the classrooms
about exchanges and international jobs and it immediately clicked with me – I
have to crash this meeting!” AIESEC, pronounced ‘eye-sek’, is the world’s
largest international student-run organization. It is found in 110 countries and has over
60,000 members and its mission is to provide experiences for emerging young leaders
by giving them opportunities such as international internships and by allowing
them to participate in a global learning environment. For Cassie, the
opportunity to work and teach abroad for the summer was just too good to pass
up.

Having had seven years of Spanish language from middle
school and high school, she found herself well prepared for her chosen country,
Colombia, a nation that does not always have a good reputation. “Going into it,
a lot of people had the idea that, oh, you have drugs, you’ve got kidnapping,
rape, rebel forces in the mountains… but truth be told? I never experienced any
of that,” she says plainly. “I felt safe and comfortable at all times.” Her
responsibilities were wide-ranging and rewarding. For three months she taught
English at the University of Magdelena and encouraged high school women to become
productive members of society by planning and leading informative workshops on
topics such as environmental sustainability and social responsibility. “I was
also an ambassador for
the university,“ she adds, “I got to emcee events like
an American Idol-type competition, a dance competition and helped organize
3,000-4,000 students.”

During her free time, Cassie made sure to experience the
country in every possible way. She grew very close to her host family and
learned how to cook Colombian cuisine, which she shares with her own family
today. “Outside of work, I traveled for three and a half weeks. I climbed up
waterfalls, went whitewater rafting and zip lining. I went to beach paradise
and partied in some of the biggest cities in the world.”

Cassie left Colombia with a deep sense of accomplishment and
a thirst for future adventures. “Now I know I can tackle a challenge and go
into something unknown and as long as I apply myself, it will turn out okay.”
When asked about her favorite part of the experience, she replies, “Honestly, I
felt so empowered, even with the fears of my family and friends, and even
myself – everything turned out okay, and it was even better than I could have
ever possibly imagined. I have a new family and new friends. I got to relax,
and expand my perspectives and discovered new things about myself. The culture supported me in my experimenting
with new interests. That’s something that never would have happened here.”

Upon her return, Cassie took language proficiency tests and
received credits for 3 hours of advanced Spanish and will continue as a Heritage Speaker in her Spanish minor. As the
newly elected President of the UH Chapter of AISEC, Cassie is now leading the effort
to spread the word to other students about the benefits of study and work abroad.

For the future, Cassie is already preparing for her next
study abroad experience. She is working with Dr. Veronique Tran, the Tier One
Scholars Program coordinator, on her Boren Scholarship application for study
abroad in China and is looking into programs that will take her to Africa.
Luckily for her (once again), all these programs fit in perfectly with her
degree plan and with her Tier One Scholarship, she’ll receive financial support
to achieve her goals. Cassie is making
the most of her time at UH and gaining experiences that will prepare her for a
future career as a Foreign Service Officer for the U.S. Department of State.